With 723,771 voters registered as of June 30th, the Fijian Elections Office says it is prepared to conduct a proposed constitutional referendum and the upcoming general elections.
Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa confirmed this on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan, saying the office has been briefing stakeholders throughout the year and has made preparations for either or both electoral events.
Mataiciwa says election material, including voting screens, ballot boxes and election kits, have already been procured, while provisional polling venues have been assessed and are ready for use.
She says the FEO requires about 8,907 election officials to conduct the electoral events.
The Supervisor says around 15,088 Fijians have applied to become election officials, with 7,696 already trained.
She says the remaining training is expected to be completed during the week of November 14th, with contingency arrangements also being put in place.
The proposed referendum will depend on the third reading of the Constitution Bill in Parliament, while the general elections must be held by February 6th 2027, according to the legal timetable.
She says the final number of registered voters will be confirmed once the writ is issued, as voter registration will close at that point.
Mataiciwa says 53 election teams are currently conducting voter registration and voter information updates around the country, while teams have also travelled overseas to provide services to Fijians living abroad.
She says the nationwide exercise includes registering newly eligible voters, updating residential addresses and replacing lost, damaged or misplaced voter cards.
The Supervisor is urging registered voters to update their residential addresses before the writ is issued, warning that no changes will be permitted after that date.
Insert: make use of the teams KK 24th Oct
She says voters will be assigned to polling venues based on the residential addresses recorded in their voter registration details.
Mataiciwa says the office is also placing greater emphasis on encouraging young Fijians to register.
She says voter awareness programmes have been tailored to specific groups, including students in schools and universities, rather than relying solely on general awareness campaigns.
Mataiciwa says while there has been interest from newly eligible young voters in registering, the next challenge is ensuring they turn up to vote, as voting is voluntary.
